Unveiling, Plaque Presentation & Reception
SPOTA MOSAIC & PLACES THAT MATTER
Saturday November 3
3:30pm – 4pm Unveiling & Plaque Presentation
Walter and Mary Lee Chan House, sidewalk 658 Keefer
4pm -5pm Reception
Strathcona Community Centre, 601 Keefer
Urban renewal – the City’s vision circa 1958 – was a major and drastic overhaul of what the city would be. One of the major thrusts of this plan was to put a freeway through the city that would destroy the neighbourhood in Vancouver’s East End (later known as Strathcona).
In 1968 after close to a decade of opposing the changes, the Strathcona Property Owners and Tenants Association (SPOTA) was formalized and the neighbourhood had a voice. It was heard both locally and nationally, and a movement was born that resulted in a new way of thinking in respect to urban “social” planning.
The SPOTA Mosaic pays tribute to the founding members and supporters of SPOTA. The concept of a permanent legacy to honour those who fought to stop the freeway was originally conceived during the Downtown Eastside Public Realm Arts Plan process (Richard Evans, Terry Hunter, Carmen Rosen). This mosaic and location was conceived and developed by long-time Strathcona resident Esther Rausenberg, designed by Richard Tetrault, and created by Richard Tetrault and Jerry Whitehead. The project is an initiative of the Community Arts Council of Vancouver – Creative Pathways project, with support from the City of Vancouver Great Beginnings Program.
Also being placed is a Vancouver Heritage Foundation Places That Matter plaque to recognize the home of Walter and Mary Chan, community members who led the fight against the freeway. For more information about the plaque project:http://www.vancouverheritagefoundation.org
Reception to follow at 4pm at the Strathcona Community Centre. Free

This event was on Day 11 of the 12 Days of the Heart of the City Festival. Please check the website for more events!

The Festival is thrilled to partner with the DTES’s AHA Media to provide social media coverage (video/photos/blog) of the Heart of the City Festival. AHA Media gives voice to our local community and provides services for individuals and organizations to share their news and special events on a broader scale through social media. Founded in 2008 by local artists April Smith, Hendrik Beune, and Al Tkatch, AHA Media previously collaborated with Fearless City Media and has an ongoing working relationship with W2Community Media Arts and various other organizations and individuals in the DTES community. The members of AHA Media describe themselves as “definitely not mainstream media”. Based in Vancouver’s DTES, their style is described as non-invasive and unassuming.

Say Hello to AHA Media as they visit the Festival events. They will be happy to chat with you. Stay connected to the festival with AHA’s links – see photos/videos of the festival events you attended; take in a festival event you missed; or follow one festival event while you are attending another!

Sixth Annual Canada Day Redress Rally Monument to Chinese Railway Workers and War Veterans in Vancouver

The following screenshot photos are from Sid Tan’s video below:

Below is a photo of Libby Davies, Vancouver East MP speaking

Below is a photo of Vancouverite Gim Wong, a Second World War Air Force veteran and Canadian-born son of two Chinese head-tax payers. Last year on July 1, Wong did a trial run on his motorcycle to Craigellachie, B.C. This year, he left Mile 0 at Beacon Hill Park in Victoria in June on a cross-country ride to raise awareness, promote support, and take a petition asking Ottawa to compensate Chinese-Canadians for the $23 million collected from head-tax payers by paying $21,000 to each survivor and by starting a compensation negotiation process for descendents.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOIMHVsqp1A

Below is a photo of Irwin Oostindie of W2 speaking

Below is Cease Wyss and Kat Norris

Below is Gim Wong

Below is Sean Gunn

Thanks to Head Tax Families Society of Canada for organising folks and W2 Media Cafe for hosting the luch and cabaret. Food was from Foo’s Ho Ho.

Thanks to Kat Norris, Cease Wyss, Karin Lee, Gim Wong, Roy Miki, Sean Gunn, Jordan Paterson, Andrew Lau, Trevor/Matt Chan (No Luck Club) and Irwin Oostindie who spoke and/or performed in the afternoon program. Special thanks to the HTFSC volunteers and W2 staff and volunteers who made this an amazing and fun day.

The BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors (BCYADWS) recently had a Fundraiser at VANDU in Vancouver Downtown Eastside

The BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors (BCYADWS) is hosting a “caravan” across BC to:

promote the BCYADWS

connect with communities in BC,

sign up members

collect information about the health needs of drug users across the province and

to develop action strategies with communities to advocate for these established health needs

We are holding this fundraiser and requesting donations to cover the cost of BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors (BCYADWS) activities

Please contact Ann Livingston annlive@telus.net 604 719 5313

Email: Nicole@vandu.org

————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Below is a video where Ann Livingston speaks on BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors Fundraiser at VANDU Part 1

Below is a video where Ann Livingston speaks on BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors Fundraiser at VANDU Part 2

Below is a video where Laura and Lorna with Ann Livingston speak on BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors Fundraiser at VANDU

Below is a video of BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors Fundraiser at VANDU

Below is a video where Aiyanas Ormond speaks on BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors Fundraiser at VANDU

All preceeding videos were filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera – Panasonic DMC-ZS3. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video or for additional footage, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Below is a photo of Ann Livingston and Donald Macpherson

Below is a photo of Lynden B, Board Member of VANDU

Below is a photo of David Murray, Community Advocate

Below are photos of Ellen Woodsworth, Vancouver City Councillor

Below is a photo of Marion Allart of VANDU

Below is a photo of Meg with Mark Haden

Below is a photo of a discussion of the situation in Abbotsford’s Harm Reduction policy

Below is a photo of Mel Lehan, Ann Livingston and Libby Davis, MP for Vancouver East

***Additional photos and video footage of this event is available upon request***

David Murray is now home in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside where he is sharing his many exciting experiences and memories. Among his favorite memories was meeting the folks of ADDICQ ( Association for Defending Rights and Inclusion of people who use drugs in Quebec ) and when he toured through the House of Commons in Ottawa!

Mr. Speaker, on the 75th anniversary of the historic “On to Ottawa Trek”, I am proud to welcome eight modern day homelessness trekkers from my riding of Vancouver East, who are here in Ottawa.

Am Johal, Diana Hart, Al Mitchell, Georges Maltais, Shawn Millar, David Murray, John Richardson and Garvin Snider left Vancouver on June 6 to re-enact the 1935 workers’ protest against poor wages and abysmal working conditions in government camps during the Great Depression.

This wonderful group is also marking the end of the 2010 Homelessness Hunger Strike Relay, which I was honoured to participate in.

These groups and over 50 major Canadian organizations are calling on the government to support a national housing strategy and to vote yes to Bill C-304.

June 2010 marks the 75 anniversary of the 1935 On to Ottawa Trek, when thousands of young men were inspired to climb atop boxcars and personally deliver their demand for “work and wages” to the source of the problem. It was a magnificent response to the harsh conditions endured by Canada’s depression era unemployed. These same conditions echo around us today.

In this video Joey Hartman and Jeri Sparrow speak at On to Ottawa Trek 75 Anniversary on June 6, 2010 at Crab Park in Vancouver

This video was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera – Panasonic DMC-ZS3. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

————————————————————————————————————————————————-

In this video, Tim Stephenson, Deputy Mayor of Vancouver reads Civic Proclamation for On to Ottawa Trek 75 Anniversary June 6, 2010

This video was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera – Panasonic DMC-ZS3. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

————————————————————————————————————————————————

In this video, Libby Davies, NDP MP for Vancouver East speaks on Heritage of the Trek at On to Ottawa Trek 75 Anniversary June 6, 2010

This video was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera – Panasonic DMC-ZS3. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

————————————————————————————————————————————————-

In this video, Jim Sinclair, president of the British Columbia Federation of Labour speaks on Heritage of the Trek at On to Ottawa Trek 75 Anniversary June 6, 2010

This video was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera – Panasonic DMC-ZS3. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

—————————————————————————————————————————————————

In this video, Am Johal speaks on 2010 Homelessness Trek – Send Off to the delegation at On to Ottawa Trek 75 Anniversary June 6, 2010

This video was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera – Panasonic DMC-ZS3. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

———————————————————————————————————————————————–

In this video,Recognition of Officials and Trek Families at On to Ottawa Trek 75 Anniversary June 6, 2010.

This video was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera – Panasonic DMC-ZS3. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

—————————————————————————————————————————————————

In this video, Ken Hoggarth from Original On to Ottawa Trek speaks at On to Ottawa Trek 75 Anniversary June 6, 2010

This video was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera – Panasonic DMC-ZS3. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

—————————————————————————————————————————————————

In this video is the Unveiling of Historic Site Plaque at On to Ottawa Trek 75 Anniversary June 6, 2010

This video was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera – Panasonic DMC-ZS3. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms